At the 2023 Tour de France, Jasper Filipsen (Alpecin-Deschunink) was aiming for a second point classification title in his young career next season. When the official route was revealed on Wednesday, the Belgian sprinter had fewer sprint opportunities and pondered parkour at a "very difficult end."

In particular, Filipsen seemed impressed by the challenge of the 2024 Tour de France Week 3 and what he needed to complete the race. For the first time in the history of the tour, the traditional spotlight on the final day is the time trial for GC candidates on the Mediterranean coast of Nice from the Champs-Elysees for the sprint It's a plot with a twist.

"It's impressive. I think the last chance for the sprinter is Stage 16. Then the question is whether you will continue to Nice, it will be a very difficult end, so Philipsen told Wielerflits when dealing with the media after the route presentation.

Phillipsen was one of the all-star cast of professional male and female riders in Paris on Wednesday for the 2024 Tour de France route presentation and the 2024 Tour de France 8 stage presentation on 1. He was joined in the crowd by fellow sprinters Mark Cavendish (Astana-Kazakhstan) and Brian Coquard (Cofidis) as well as reigning tour champion Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo Bismuth).

The time spent at the Palais des Congrès for the presentation will be the only opportunity for Philipsen to approach the Champs-Elysees for his tour business in 2024. Next year's Olympics will take place in and around Paris from the 26th to the 11th, so the grand tour of France will end with a change of route for the first time in Nice.

"After Stage 16, I think we need to evaluate where we stand. If there are no more prospects in the green position, the question is whether it makes sense to continue," he told Wielerflits. "There are also Olympic road races in Paris and other goals for the second half of the season.

The Grand Department Store of the tour will also be the first in Italy. Running in 4 countries (Italy, Marino, Monaco and France), the 3,492 km course has 2 time trials, 4 mountain top finishes and 27 mountains that are classified into the Second, First or Hose categories. The final day of the time trial is also a decisive day.

The organizers revealed that in the 21 days of the race there were only 8 flat stages. For riders like Philipsen and Cavendish and their teammates, they will have to fight hard on the day.

"There are some very difficult and short stages and you get a lot of elevation. Even in the early stages of the tour. Of course, it was expected that there would be a lot of mountains on the course, but those are tough climbs," he observed.

"They say there are already 8 flat stages, so that should be the maximum number of opportunities for sprinters. I haven't been able to see the stage in detail yet, it's still too early for that.

However, after reviewing the route, Philipsen does not miss time away from the Champs-Elysees. In 2021, he broke down in tears after finishing in 2nd place to Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) in the line. He won in 2022 on the most famous street in Paris and returned with his 2nd stage victory on that grand tour. And in 2023 he again became the 2nd, this time Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Having won 4 in France last year, the 25-year-old recorded 19 victories throughout the year, more than any other rider in the Peloton. He has won 6 flat sprints in a row on the tour. In the sprint stage of the Tour de France, he finished 17th in the top three in 16th place.

"I want to come back, but the team makes a choice. I need to make sure I'm on the same level.”